Thigh guard



Feb. 19, 1935. A. BECKET ETAL 1 THIGH GUARD Filed May 3, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I mv ENTORS: flkmll. flake! and Milan fifleacil,

ljmir ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1935. A. L. BECKET ET AL THIGH GUARD Filed May5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 1,; F 6111 My m ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 19,1935 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE Reach, Springfield, Mass; said. Reachassignor to A. G. Spalding & Bros., New Yorl(, N. Y., a

corporation of New "Jersey Application May 3-, 1934, see-sme a:

9 Claims,

The present invention relates to guards for use in games and sports andis embodied, more specifically, in an improved protective guard whichserves as an effective protection to the wearer 5 and yet conforms tothe other requirements made,

in connection with devices of this character.

The construction of guards for portions of the it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a waterproof guard which is readilymanufactured. i r

A further object of the invention is to provide a guard which issufficiently rigid, to constitute an effective protection against injuryand, at the same time, provide suflicient cushioning therein to providea structure which'answers the requirements of use. j

A furtherobject of the invention is to provided a guard of the abovecharacter formed of molded elements in combination with a cushioningelement and a waterproof covering therefor. 1 7

Further objects, not specifically enumerated above, will be apparent asthe inventionis described in greater detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan'view of a guard constructed in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken on the broken line 2-2 of Figure 1,and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a plan view modified form of guard.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 3, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

' Figure 5 is a View partly broken away, showing molded elements of theguard constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the cushioning and waterproof outercovering of one side of a guard constructed in accordance with thepresent invention. p r

Figure '7 is a view in section, taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5, andlooking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 8 is a view in section,showing a portion of the guard constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, the left hand portion of Figure 8 illustrating themolded portion of the guard and the right hand portion illustrating thecushioning portion of the guard.

showing a v slightly With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a guard is shownas being formed of inner and outer layers 10 and 11, respectively, whichmay be formed of a suitable waterproof fabric having the strengthandother properties required.for service of this character. The inner layeris socured to a plurality of molded layers enemforcing material'asdescribed hereinafter while the outer layer is secured, asby gluing, toa'felt or other {cushioning substance 12. Suitable straps 13 may beincluded within the layers above described or otherwise suitably securedto the structure in order that the guard may be secured in adesired-position. In the 'form shown inFigures 3 and 4, the straps 13are dispensed with andaperture's" 14 provided through which'suitablelacing may be received.

The manner in which the above elements are secured together isillustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, wherein the structure is shown inprocess ofmanufacture, the inner layer assembly being shown in" Figures5, 7, and 8, while the outer layer assembly is shown in Figures 6 and 8.

Referring to the inner layer assembly, the inner layer is secured to aplurality of suitably formed sheets 15 between any two of which thesuspension straps 13 may be anchored. A fabric backing 16 is secured tothe outer sheet 15, as shown in Figure 7, and an innersheet 17 issecured on the inner side of the layer 10. The sheets 15 and 17 of theassembly shown in Fig-- ure '7 are formed of a textile fabricimpregnated In the outer layer assembly, shown in Figures- 6 and 8, theouter layer 11 has cemented thereto a layer of felt 12 or other suitablepadding material and the elements are formed to correspond in shape withthe sheets 15 and the inner layer 10.

It will be seen that the inner and outer layers 10and 11 are formed withperipheral portions 10" and 11', respectively, which are adapted to becemented together to form a seal about the edges of the guard. After theinner layer assembly has been molded as shown in the left hand portionof Figure 8, a suitable cement or glue is applied between the adjacentsurfaces of the inner and outer layer assemblies. This cement isalsoapplied to the peripheries of the layers and the two assemblies arebrought together in such fashion that effective adhesion willresultbetween the assemblies and between the adjacent marginal or peripheralportions 10' man. 1 l

The resulting guard structure, by reason of the molded sheetsimpregnated with the thermo setting type of phenol formaldehydecondensation in moisture when immersed in water for one minute. Thestructure described herein absorbs less than half an ounce of moisturewhen immersed" in water for fifteen minutes or longer. Moreover, theprovision of the padding material in overlapping relationship with theedges of the molded sheets protects the. sharp edges of the moldedproduct and thus prevents injury upon impact therewith. The foregoingstructure is thus built around molded foundation members of textilefibre impregnated with a thermo setting type of phenol formaldehydecondensation product or similar substances, unimpregnated textilemembers being; molded therewith and. the resulting assembly secured topadding material and; an outer waterproof layer as described above.

Inorder that one manner of carrying out the invention may be describedin detail the foregoing specification has set-forth, in detail, the useof a phenolformaldehyde condensation product. Obviously, the particulartype of thermomolded substance may be varied, as long as the substanceis pressed and formed under heat. Moreover, the invention is not to belimited to a plurality of molded members, inasmuch as one such membermay be so formed as to serve the purpose of a plurality.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defined in theappended claims.

. We claim as our invention: 1 1

1. Protective armor for athleticgames and the like comprising aplurality of molded members impregnated with a thermo setting substanceof the type of phenol formaldehyde-condensationproduct, a protectivemember secured thereto, and layers of waterproof material enclosing'thesaid members. a

2; Protective armor for athletic games and the like comprising aplurality of molded textile fabric members impregnated with a thermosetting substance of the type of phenol formaldehyde condensationproducts; protective member secured thereto, and layers of waterprooftextile material enclosing the said members.

3. Protective armor for athletic games and the like comprising aplurality of molded textile fabric members impregnated witha thermosetting substance of the type of phenol formaldehyde condensationproduct, layers of unimpregnated fabric between which'the molded membersare secured, a-layer of protective material secured to one of the lastnamed layers, and an oute layer covering the protective material.

4. Protective armor for athletic games and the like comprising aplurality of molded textile fabric members impregnated with a thermosetting substance of the type of phenol formaldehyde condensationproduct, inner and intermediate layers of unimpregnated fabricbetweenwhich the moldedmembers are secured, the inner layer having a peripheralportion extending beyond the mold- In actual tests, presentguard-struced members, a layer of protective material 56- cured to theintermediate layer, and a n outer layer covering the protective materialand having a peripheralportion secured to the peripheral portion of theinner layer.

5: Protective armor for athletic games and the like comprising aplurality of molded textile fab-' ric members impregnated with a thermosetting substance ofthe type of phenol formaldehyde condensationproduct, inner and intermediate layers of unimpregnated fabric betweenwhich the molded members aresecured, the inner layer having a peripheralportion extending beyond the. molded members, a layer of protectivematerial secured to the intermediate layer, and an outer layer coveringtheprotective material and having a peripheral portion secured to theperipheralportion of the inner layer, said inner and outer layersbeing'ofwaterproof material.

6. Protective armor for athletic games andthe.

like comprising a; plurality of molded textile fabric membersimpregnated with a thermo setting substance of the type of phenolformaldehyde condensation product, inner and intermediatelayers ofunimpregnated fabric between which the molded members are secured, theinner layer having a peripheralportion extending beyond themoldedmembers, a layer of protective material secured to the intermediatelayer, and an outer layer covering-the protective material and havingcondensation product, inner and intermediate layers of unimpregnatedfabric between which the molded members are secured, the inner layerhaving a peripheral portion extending beyond the,

molded members, a layer of protective material secured to theintermediate layer, and an outer layer covering, the protective materialand having a peripheral portion securedto the protective material andtheperipheral portion of the inner layer, said inner and outer'layer beingof water-' proof material, and means on the armor to facilitate securingthe same in position.

'8. Protective armor for, athletic games; com-' prising a foundation.member, protective material, and an outer layer, ;said foundationmember including a portion molded by being pressed and formed under heatand having an unmolded periphery, the protective material beingpositioned between the foundationv member and the outer layer, theperiphery of the outer layer and the unmolded periphery of. thefoundation member being hermetically sealed. d

9. Protective armor for athletic games comprising a foundation member,protective material, and an outer layer, said foundationmemberincluding. a portion molded by beingpressed and formed under heat,theprotective material being positioned between the foundation memberand the outer layer, and the peripheries of the foundation member andouter layer being hermeticale ly'seale'd.

. ALAN L. BECKE'I'. MILTON B. REACH.

